Wednesday, 17 December 2014

THIRUVANNAMALAI SRI ARUNACHALESWARA DHARSHAN

17, December 2014.

On 13th and 14th, I had
Thiruvannamalai Sri Arunachaleswara Dharshan. It was a 1 ½ days visit to
Thiruvannamalai. I want to cover the temple extensively. Started from
Chennai around 07.00 Hrs from Koyambedu and reached Thiruvannamalai around
12.30 Hrs. My plan was to have the dharshan of Sri Arnachaleswara first and
then do the Girivalam. Since it was Saturday, there was a lot of rush and
Melmaruvathur & Iyappa devotee also increased the crowd. So kept my back
bag in the cloak room and carried only the food and water for the Girivalam.
Started the Girivalam by 12.30 hrs and returned back to the temple around 17.30
Hrs. ( Girivalam experience and details were up
loaded in the previous post ). Joined in the 20 rupees Q, It took almost 2
hours for the dharshan. When I was in the Q the drizzling started and latter it
was raining heavily, but the whole day it was overcast and cloudy. Had the
peaceful dharshan of Sri Arunachaleswara and Sri Unnamulai ammai. After
dharshan I was very lucky to have the dharshan of Mahadeepam on the Arunachala
Hill with heavy rain.

Stayed in the lodge on 13th Dec 2014,
night. Around 07.00 Hrs on 14th Dec 2014, once again went in to
the temple and started for the dharshan of all the other sannadhis. It
took almost 2 hours to find out Hoysala’s “ Anda Perandam“, a bird no, an
animal, no it is a combination of the both. It took another one hour to
locate King Vallala’s relief on the Nandhi mandapam. But I couldn’t trace King
Vallala’s wife’s relief. After collecting the details went to Virupaksha and
Skandashram caves, where Sri Ramana maharishi lived and meditated. The details
will be posted in the next post.

22. THIUVANNAMALAI ARULMIGU ARNACHALESWARAR TEMPLE

This is the 22nd and last Devaram Paadal Petra
Shiva sthalam in Nadu Nadu. Naalvar has sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of
this temple.

The temple was
built in an area of 24 acres. The temple was built with 9 Gopurams and 6
prakarams. The 6th prakaram compound wall is of 700 feet on
south – north, South wall is of 1479 feet and north wall is of 1590 feet. The
East Rajagopuram is 217 feet with 11 tiers, the highest of all. The base of the
east Rajagopuram is 135 feet x 98 feet. This Raja Gopuram was built by
Krishna devarayar. The names of the other Rajagoprams are Thirumanjana gopuram
on the south, Vallala maharaja Gopuram, Kili gopuram between 3rd and
4th parakaram, Ammani ammal gopuram ( She only collected the
money and constructed ) on the north, Pey gopuram on the west and three
kattai gopurams of shorter than Rajagopurams.

The temple has
a long history. The temple was constructed by Pallava, Chozha,
Pandya, Hoysala kings in stages. Each one of them had left their stamps. The
original structures were changed in some areas during construction and
renovation/ thiruppani. Nattukkottai Nagarathars had done a lot of thirupani to
this temple.

There are more
than 100 kalvettukkal available in the temple walls. They were between 849 AD to
1582 AD. These epigraphs mainly tells us the donations given to this temple.
Apart from Tamil epigraphs, some of telegu inscriptions can also be
seen on the 3rd prakaram wall. Some of the epigraphs were
lost during renovations.

After East
Rajagopuram in the 6th and 5th prakaram
important places / sannadhis are Arunagirinathar Annadhana mandapam, Sivagangai
theertham, Kambathu ilayanar sannadhi, Sarvasakthi sannadhi ( Iraivan’s various
forms were painted on the ceiling ), Thirukalyana mandapam, Kalyana
Sundareswarar, 16 pillar/ kal mandapam, 4 pillar mandapam, vaahana storage
rooms, 1000 pillar mandapam, Paathala Lingam, Gopurathu Ilayanar sannadhi,
Periya nandhi under a mandapam. On the west side kattai gopuram Sannadhi for
Ammaiappar and Annamalaiyar thirupatham. Kosalai is on the south side. Guest
house is on the north side of 6th corridor.

After climbing
few steps through Vallala maharajas gopuram we can enter in the fourth
prakaram. Sannadhi/ important places are Brahma theertham, Sri Kaala bairavar (
big in size), 4 Pillar mandapam, Mandapam with shops, Brahma lingam ( with four
faces – via fire, Vayu, earth water, and top Aakayam – Chathur muka
lingam or we can call as pancha muka lingam ), Vidyatheswarar, Naleswarar,
Yanai thirai konda Vinayagar, Kambathu Ilayanar Sannadhi, Kalai Arangam
and 6 feet nandhi. In the right side pillar of the Nandhi mandapam a
relief of King Vallalan with hand in worshipping posture and on the left pillar
relief of hoysalas, Anda Peranndam ( a mixture of bird and a an animal ).
Another relief of Vallala maharaja’s moortham ( Seems to be aged ) is available
in the Vallala maharaja’s gopuram passage.

We have to
pass through 6 tires Kili ( parrot ) Gopuram to reach 3rd prakaram.
Lot of parrots are there in this gopuram. From this gopuram Arunagirinathar
left his body to get Parijatham flower in the form of parrot. Since his body
was cremated before his arrival, he remained as parrot. The important sannadis/
places are 16 pillar and 4 pillar mandapams, office room, Ekambareswarar,
Chidambara nathar, Pidari amman ( with a stone soolam at the front ),
Kaalatheeswarar, Golden chariot mandapam. Unnamulai amman sannadhi, Pali
peedam. There is sudhai sirpam on the right side passage of Kili gopuram.

At the entrance
of Moolavar sannadhi mandapam on the left Sri Sampantha Vinayagar and
Dhandayuthapani on the right. In the front mandapam Barani depam ( out
side the mandapam ) , Palipeedam , Dwajasthambam, Adhikaranandhi .

Moolavar is in
normal size with golden naagaabaranam. Ambal is small in size

Even though
festivals are celebrated throughout the year the Thirukkaarthikai deepam is
being celebrated in a grand manner for 17 days. 10th day
mahadeepam is placed / burnt in a large deepam pot at the top hill. 11
days after mahadeepam every evening at 18.00 Hrs deepam is placed on the
top of the hill for which 2 cans of gee and wick bundle is being carried by the
people from the temple.

2 comments:

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